Campbell on Collins

I (r0b) am a bit too buried in the end-of-year rush to have researched this well enough to write a competent post on the topic. But it’s worth discussing, and (as usual) Gordon Campbell has a thorough and insightful account. Here’s some extracts, go check out Campbell at Scoop for the full article:

Presumably, we are only days away (at most) from learning the contents of the report on the David Bain compensation case prepared by the distinguished retired Canadian judge, Ian Binnie. [Update: The report is expect to be released today.] Whatever the Binnie report says, nothing in it will change the Mickey Mouse handling of this episode by Justice Minister Judith Collins – who managed to simultaneously attack Binnie’s findings and reasoning abilities in public, while claiming privilege (and thus binding him to silence) against releasing the evidence to back up her assertions. …

It gets worse. In the process, Collins also showed an unfair predisposition to consult with the prosecution. Collins sought “advice” on the Binnie report from the Solicitor General – whose office spent the best part of two decades maintaining Bain’s guilt. She is, of course, free to consult anyone she likes, but it is reasonable to expect she should do so in an even-handed fashion. Instead, she (at the very least) discussed the contents of the report and sought advice on it from the prosecution, while denying Bain’s defence team anything like a similar courtesy. She also hired Robert Fisher QC to provide a “peer review” of Binnie’s report – but, as Labour justice spokesperson Charles Chauvel has pointed out on RNZ this morning, Collins either doesn’t know or won’t tell us what Fisher’s terms of reference are, and what level of documentation he has been given to enable him to conduct, within a mere matter of days, a meaningful evaluation of Binnie’s report. …

This is banana republic stuff from Collins. Would any international justice in future be willing to step into the firing line for the kind of treatment that has been meted out to Binnie? Hardly. …

In the past few weeks, Collins has been mooted by Parliamentary insiders as the most likely replacement for John Key as leader of the National Party if Key (a) got hit by a bus or more likely (b) got sufficiently tired of his job as PM to call it quits. By her appalling handling of the Binnie report, Collins has surely torpedoed any claim that she may be fit to lead the country anytime in the near future. …

What a travesty from our “Justice” Minister. In the same week, Education Minister Hekia Parata has been found by the High Court to have acted unlawfully. Both Ministers retain the confidence of the Prime Minister.

1. Her approach to every other issue that’s confronted her as a Minister of the Crown.
2. The lack of any formal or informal sanctions for her handling of those earlier issues.
3. The impunity with which her colleague Paula Bennett has misused her position to breach others’ confidentiality while maintaining her own.

Collins really has nothing to fear from generating this clusterfuck because similar clusterfucks have had no consequences for the ministerial perpetrators. The worst aspect of it is that, as everyone is pointing out, it’s a political decision – sooner or later Cabinet has to grow a pair and make that decision, and bunging a Canadian hundreds of grand hasn’t absolved them of making it. Instead of blaming the Canadian for doing the job they paid him to do, Collins and her smug, lazy colleagues could try actually sitting down at the Cabinet table and doing the job they’re paid to do – which in this case, is to announce that Bain can stick his compensation claim up his arse (or some lawyerly equivalent).

First year law students’d be directed towards alternative pursuits for this woeful lack of comprehension of basic principles of the Rule of Law, Natural Justice, and Democratic Governance. On the other hand, and this is the bigger concern, Endora Collins has the comprehension but in her delusional subjectivity just doesn’t care.

Bloody Disgraceful !

And the Unctuous One simpers and wobbles on into Xmas. Fortified by adoring cow-eyes from the unspeakably inept Heki Pirau Parata. What fun their pretty summer BBQs will be. Everybody stroking everybody. Admiring themselves. Planet Key Weeee !

These are the boys and girls who interminably nut on about taking responsibility. About manning-up. About doing the job. Citing the detestable, paru underclass who must be pariahed.

What sort of role models are these brazen hypocrites, these moral crooks ?

psycho Justice binnie has got it severly wrong .
David bains fresh blood skin hair anb wool fibre were found under Stephen Bains finger nails.
Also the soap powder box in the laundry had david and stephens frezh blood with davids fresh finger.prints embedded in the blood.
The socks David changed into had blood and brain splatter matching the same pattern as the blood and brain splatter on the curtains and carpet which means he was in the room hiding behind the curtains.
The debacle of the second trial where one of Davids groupies!

I agree, hence the view that Cabinet should “announce that Bain can stick his compensation claim up his arse (or some lawyerly equivalent).” However, at the time I wrote that comment Collins was busy ridiculing Binnie’s report without letting anyone see what he’d actually written – that is the kind of bullying and misuse of power that we’ve come to expect from her.

Collins is now going to play ball as she has to be transparent. Not giving the terms of reference for the Fisher peer review does cause speculation and Collins did this herself. Binnie is either seen as being competent or incompetent by Collins and Collins has to state which one.

I’m sure if Collins sends him some money, he’ll offer his wise and objective opinion in her favour, or if someone else sends him some money for a different view, he’ll offer his wise and objective opinion in their support. He might even do both on the same day.

Murder-suicide’s happen. Relatives do return and walk in on them, and will fight for their life, getting ‘evidence’ upon them. Seeing this evidence,t he innocent, may start fiddling with the washing machine especially given the Bain case. Fair trials take over a decade, and compensation will be denied.

The problem is without excessive, consistent and integral evidential processes, the lack of evidence would always play into the hands of the murder and against the walk in innocent, in NZ. The Bain family was weird, lost of direction, the kids withdrawn, soulless lawyers (and media) could see the slam dunk here and had no reluctance to merciful thoughts of happenstance.

Elsewhere in the world they have a legal fraternity that is capable of mercy, contrite to their own mistakes, and concerned to their standing, pride, in a nation of law. We currently have a government more interested in destroying process, classic revolutionary conservatism, that has elsewhere led to the collapse of the world economy, increasing un-abating environment stresses, and ignorance of resource limits. Why would it be any surprise, that clean green 100% NZ, also had efficient perfect justice system.

Its no good enough to leave it to the market to respond, say to the CTV building, by never hiring the people involved again, since they just leave for Australia anyway. That means its cowboy territory in NZ, you can get away with rank incompetence with a good spin doctor under the pay roll.

Anyone with the least familiarity with “family annihilation” crimes knows that the father did it, because this sort of crime is almost always perpetrated by a father.

The typical profile of a family annihilator is a middle-aged man, a good provider who appears dedicated, devoted and loyal to his family. However, he is usually quite socially isolated, with few friends and with profound feelings of frustration and inadequacy. The tipping point is some catastrophic loss or impending tragedy that threatens to undermine his sense of self and amplifies his feelings of impotence and powerlessness. In individuals for whom their family is an integral part of their identity – part of themselves, rather than a separate being – murdering the family is akin to a single act of suicide. It is a way of regaining control; of obliterating the impending crisis.

The tragedy is so many needy people like the attention of getting in the limelight, the more wrong the better. I find it quite shocking their lawyers, and the crap they’ve talked about the Bain issue. From Binnie giving detail extra responses call muddling, to Binnie not understanding NZ law, or he got facts wrong, principles were missed (which were?). All done before Collins released the document for others to refute. But worse, Bain is innocent, so to have another lawyer on TV saying he has to prove innocence to get compensation just is draw dropping. Really is this not the most depraved adolescent legal fraternity in NZ. Collins should be disbarred, Key should sack her immediately. The compensation process was about an independent third party deciding balance of probabilities, he did, and Bain should get compensation.

SoSo wrong if you look at mass family murderers its most likely the eldest son has committed the murder also being the one left alive !In every case of these murders the eldest son has continually denied murdering their family against over whelming evidence!
If you look around the world their have been a dozen or so murders of this type all the evidence pointing to the oldest son,as well as a high degree of dysfunctionality in the family!
Not one piece of hard evidence pointed to Robin Bain.
All the hard evidence pointed to David being the Murderer!
Here is a list off the hard evidence
Davids fresh blood skin hair and woollen jersey particles found under Stephens finger nails
laundry soap powder box had David and Stephens fresh blood on it with his fresh finger prints embedded in the blood
the socks David was wearing to the hospital which the detective made sure weren’t polluted had blood and brain splatter on them in the same pattern that was found on the carpet and curtains in the room that Robin was murdered making david the murderer as he claimed he was on the paper round! the only way he could have got that pattern on his socks was if he was in the room at the time of the Murder!

Think twice before leaping to criticize Fisher, however – those instructed by the government to review/critique other expert reports seldom identify so many demonstrable errors. Remember if Fisher were seen to just be “nit-picking”, his criticism would be swiftly and firmly rebutted by Binnie.

If you leap to judgment on this one, you are being no better behaved than Collins (who has at least read both reports), although admittedly she has a higher degree of responsibility in this episode 😉

Rjlc when you read binnies interview with bain it makes me sick why didn’t he ask how his blood skin hair and woollen jersey fibres get under stephens finger nails or how come the blood and brain particles end up on yor socks when you were supposed to be doing a paper run!
$400,000 for a lame piece of work we want our money back!

As a former pres of the law society and as a minister of justice she has insulted an experienced jurist. By all means have some questions but direct them to binnie and invite him to write an addendum addressing them.

Binnie in his response to Collins says “[i]t is of interest that … Mr Fisher was retained on 26 September … he met the Minister the same day … and without having performed the “first stage” analysis he reports that “as we discussed, a second and final report will be required for the purpose of reviewing the evidence afresh and arriving at its own conclusions on the merits”. As he points out normally one would expect Fisher to make his analysis of Binnie’s report and have his analysis considered by the Minister BEFORE a decision to have an entirely new report performed on the merits.

If anything Binnies report has shown me just how incompetent the NZ Police are time and time again and I also know this through personal experience with the police over 35 years regarding my cycles of complaint which I hope to attend to next year.

It will never be established beyond reasonable doubt who killed the Bain family, my opinion is that Bain deserves compensation for the police’s investigations being inadequate, rushed, jumping to conclusions and being inconclusive.

It will never be established beyond reasonable doubt who killed the Bain family

Exactly. Frankly I don’t care if David Bain is guilty or innocent. All that I care about is the integrity of the process that reaches a decision … and in this case no fewer than six eminent non-New Zealand jurists have looked at that process and declared it to be fatally flawed.

The idea that Judith Collins can now stick her oar in to get a result to suit her obvious personal agenda is simply debacle upon debacle and will in the long run cost even more.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court really has to step in and put and end to this nonsense.

Having attended the session of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Arthur Allan Thomas case in which the possibility of a planted bullet was raised,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Allan_Thomas
and a session of the the Erebus inquiry under Justice Mahon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mahon_Inquiry
it all seems eerily familiar.
One thing disturbs me. When I submitted a postgraduate thesis I had three examiners.
Collins has described a second opinion from Robert Fisher QC as a “peer review”.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bain
Where are the peers Judith ?
When I once attended a NZ Law Society function I remember hearing malicious comments
about Bain from some parties while one of Bains legal defence team sat unhappily to one side ..
Aotearoa can be a very small place.

If you did not hear Sir Jeffery Palmer on RNZ nine to noon this morning have a listen. The Bain issue has become political and Palmer recommends a 1998 finding from the Law Commission to be the answer, an independent advisory panel. Palmer put it into a nut shell when he said there is no current process to remedy the Bain situation.

Did you know that Palmer was critical of Mahon when it came to natural justice?

Did you know that Gilpin (then a police sergeant re Erebus) would not take no for an answer in having the missing contents of Collin’s ring binder investigated?

Chief justice Elias was right about the Moyle inquiry (the police not being investigated was disquieting) only the cop (L.C) involved with the initial incident was part of the inquiry. L.C disclosed the incident to 10 policing and one of the 10 policing later went on to work for the DPS when Muldoon was PM and this cop knew that I knew about the incident and he kept his mouth shut.

Gilpin got involved with my case for two solid years in 1990 and he got L.C. to look for a 1979 CIB file which would incriminate L.C.

The full police evidence into the 1976 December inquiry is still locked away, (intially for 25 years).

When it comes to historical cases the police and the government drop the ball time and time again. I am so sick of hearing how the police mislead the government and then the government say that they cannot interfere in a police matter. A lot comes out about police incompetence re their investigation when correspondence is received from them. When whole files are missing within a 10 year period then you know the police really have something to hide.

When it comes to the police involvement regarding the Thomas cartridge planting the public have not seen the almighty police cock up on this. Meurant has contradicted his ex employer and tried to be transparent.

See 5 Who is going to peer review Collins?

For Collins to appoint another legal mind is not the answer. Bain was acquitted and had what was known at the retrial been available at the first trial Bain would not have gone to Jail. The compo is about Bain being wrongly sent to jail, not whether or not he committed the crime.

It looked to me like a government who dumpster dive for the legal opinion it wants, and has no respect for the rule of law. Balance of probabilities standard is not used to jail citizens, so its wrong for it to justify not compensation Bain. People make mistakes, courts make them, lawyers make them, we cannot have a government piggy backing on bad process with more bad process to get the indefensible. When the evidence isn’t there, the mob cannot be called in.

New Zealand as it is, is being run like a “dictatorship” of sorts, where an elite runs most affairs – and even manages to apply “the law” – at its convenience, and to serve its preferred purposes and needs. A sophisticated “dictatorship” is not noticed as such, and that is what NZ is close to.

So David Bain went through all the available legal processes before the highest courts, was in the end found not guilty (beyond reasonable doubt), and now we have a Minister of Justice daring to “re-interpret” all previous findings again, talking in a way, where she implies, the onus lies with Bain, to sufficiently prove his innocence, before any compensation may be justified.

An independent report, commissioned by former Minister for Justice, Simon Power, and prepared by a highly qualified, well reputed senior judge from Canada, is torn to bits by a local QC, who was actually from the start trying all, to prove that Bain was not innocent.

Crusher Collins dares, as a layperson, to re-interpret the law, to make reports suit the needs of the government. This one is not the one she and her government like, so they rubbish it, choose a previously partial legal expert to “review” it, and possibly now they will get yet another person to write yet another report, hopefully to suit the preferences of Collins and the government.

That is banana-republic stuff!

But sorry, dear all, I have myself been through so much crap, I have seen with own eyes and heard with own ears, how supposedly “independent” review authorities here make decisions that are anything but independent.

The government always can access top legal experts through Crown Law, and they always take matters through all the courts, trying to beat the ones who challenge the Crown on matters that could cost it money or reputation.

Nothing new in the state of NZ Aotearoa, where the sun shines, the beaches, mountains, lakes and forests look picturesque, but where there is a heck of a lot of rot in the system. Sadly far too few can see it or even know about this stuff.

a) Fisher is a highly respected jurist and legal academic, and you are completely out of line asserting he is particularly partial;
b) Collins is not a layperson, but a lawyer and ex-president of the Auckland District Law Society and ex-vice-president of the NZ Law Society (honestly speaking though, I have little idea how she was regarded professionally by her contemporaries); and
c) read Binnie’s conclusions, Fisher’s summary of his critique, and Binnie’s e-mail response.

That is the least you could do before launching into such polemic.

Collins’ handling of it was shabby, but that doesn’t justify the wild inferences you draw.

I have to accept that Collins herself is not a “layperson”, as the has studied and practiced law, and as stated, was also president of the ADLS.
So I accept that, for sure.

She has never been a judge though, and her specialist areas have not been criminal law, she practiced in employment, property, commercial and tax law.

“Legal experts” do naturally differ on many controversial cases, but despite of that, the Bain case has been scrutinised during 2 major trials, went through every detail, so Bain having been found innocent beyond reasonable doubt is what the courts finally determined.

In other jurisdictions this would be enough to lay the matter to rest and consider compensation for wrongful imprisonment. But in NZ it appears to be handled differently, where it is up to the government to make such a determination whether compensation should be paid, and thus they apparently go by putting the onus on Bain, to prove yet again his innocence.

Apart from that I can only talk about certain experiences I had with some matters before review authorities of various types, and the persons put there to hear cases have in some regards been selected in a way that was from my view not in line with ensuring proper independence. That to my impression though is quite common in little New Zealand, where there appears to be an environment of too many knowing each other and not wanting to step on each other’s toes.

Perhaps I may add to the question of whether a lawyer is “competent”, “good” or whatever, simply for having passed a degree and possibly even having worked in practicing law, there can be many considerations about what level of competence a particular lawyer may have.

I did during the time that Simon Power was minister have a talk with a lawyer about that minister’s competence, in view of the National led government’s changing the law to abolish the defence of provocation. He commented on Power’s “competence” and deeper understanding of law and the principle of “justice”.

That lawyer had a damned dim view of Power! He was even referred to as an “idiot”!

So no wonder Power changed his career (like Collins did) and became a politician. He is now running Westpac, so yet another career change there, NOT in his learned profession, as you may note!

I would give a top, senior judge from Canada more respect than Power or Collins any time, even if he may have made some “mistakes” in his report, which I question to be so serious enough to put the whole report into disrepute.

But thanks for your suggestion to read the report and review in detail. Maybe that is what I will spend my “leisure time” this weekend on?!

“Justice Fisher looked at adult movies on Department for Courts computers for about 90 minutes over two weeks 15 months ago. He has apologised and promised not to do it again.”

Dame Sian Elias said it was merely a “lapse” in a distinguished career.

Now I wonder, did Judith Collins know about these “lapses” ten years ago? I doubt it!

But thanks for pointing this out RJLC, it is the stuff that is easily swept under the carpet.

Now, how many “ordinary” workers would get disciplined harshly or even get fired over such “lapses”? I am afraid, this is yet another case of the law being applied differently between the “elitarian” professionals and the common office cleaner, or whatever they may be doing for a job.

It just reinforces a lot of what I have learned over the years myself. There is one law for those at the top, and another kind of law applied for those at the bottom. Add a bit of brown colour to the equation, and it gets even more unjust. NO real surprises there!

Yep and this was heard this morning about the Fijian police who are accused of assaulting persons who are arrested, make a complaint.

When there is executive interference this is police state stuff.

In my case the purpose of going to a minister of parliament was to have an independent person assigned to do an investigation for a number of reasons, not to have the last minister I approached say the following to me via her private secretary:

“The Hon Judith Collins, Minister of Police, has asked me to acknowledge and thank you for your email of 18 November 2008 received by this office on 20 November 2008. Although your email was sent to the email address of the ministerial office of Hon Annette King, it has been referred to the office of Hon Judith Collins who is now the Minister of police.”

I do not know who referred the email to the person it was not intended for; the National Government were sworn in on 19 November 2008.

Key was emailed in June 2009 and Power replied in August 2009. “Your letter has been referred to me for reply as the matters you raise fall within my portfolio responsibilities as Minister of Justice.”

Power suggested I go to the IPCA. I consider going to the IPCA as a last resort as I know what liars the police are and I have NO confidence in their process.

As much as I dislike Powers, I would presume, he would probably have dealt whith this a bit more competently. Collins has a real problem, it is a “power trip” and “controlling” personality she has, and that will be her downfall. The bit of knowledge and intelligence she has is being compromised by those personality traits. I just dread what she is doing to “fix” what has been going on at ACC.

If her performance in this matter is anything to go by, I would be very, very afraid, if I was an ACC claimant, particularly one with complex issues!

That Judith Collins was once a practising lawyer and was once a practising law society officeholder is irrelevant, except perhaps as to indicate a propensity to tug the forelock in those who facilely cite those historical facts as indicators of expertise and probity in Collins’ performance as Minister of Justice.

Collins is playing the stock standard game of the Key administration. As a first measure, attack the practitioners be they nurses, teachers, legal aid lawyers, beneficiaries, whomsoever. Then, having blackened names on the public stage proceed to the desired political end.

This furore is not about the competence or impartiality of Binnie or Fisher, in which respects and as to both of whom there is no rational question. Weirdly it is hardly even about Bain. This is about an artful, long experienced self-promoter of no particular intellectual or professional distinction doing her number to her personal political advantage.

The prize is leadership of the National Party and (if she’s extra-artful) short term prime ministership in the style of Marshall, Moore and Shipley.

Collins has trampled over this man’s reputation publicly,his integrity has been attacked also,
this is disgraceful, its’ obvioius that any reports the govt gets that dont agree with their
agenda then the authors and the contents are rubbished in the media,again disgraceful.
Is Key out of the country yet ? if he isn’t, he should tap ‘crusher’ on the shoulder and tell
her to have more respect for Binnie and appologize to him publicly.

Among other things she said “Binnie did what he was asked and Ms Collins is throwing her toys because she doesn’t like it” and “Rather than keep on looking for the advice she wants, she needs to act on the advice she’s got”. She added “She wanted an independent review of the case and thats what she’s got”.

I am sure that her views on these matters are always consistent and not biased by her political orientation so I would like to know whether anyone can point me to the views on another matter I am sure she must have commented on.
Can anyone give me a reference to her saying the following about Fracking?

“The Commissioner for the Environment did what she was asked and Gareth Hughes is throwing his toys because he doesn’t like it”
“Rather than keep on looking for the advice he wants, he needs to act on the advice he’s got”
“He wanted an independent review and that’s what he’s got”.
Surely she would have backed the scientifically trained Commissioner for the Environment rather than someone who’s claim to an education is that he did his degree in Religious Studies.

. . Our country has been described as “awash by alcohol” by more than one observer. In New Zealand, buying alcohol is easier than buying a car fuse at a petrol station. (I know this, I’ve tried.) On Tuesday 29… ...

Every six months the Ministry of Transport produce a monitoring report on how Auckland is performing against the targets the government set for work to start prior to 2020 on the City Rail Link. As a reminder On 28 June… ...

Since 1984 we have opened our borders to the global market. It is something many have accepted and become accustomed to, yet is still disputed as either the harbinger of capital and posterity, or the degradation of utility for the… ...

Quick March, journal of the Returned Soldiers Association who made support for the White New Zealand policy their number one platform plank by Philip Ferguson Chinese numbers in New Zealand dropped through the 1890s and the first decade of the twentieth… ...

Back around the mid-1990s a number of left publications here ran an article by longtime left activist Peter Lusk about his six months on the dryer line at ‘iconic’ NZ company Fisher & Paykel’s Auckland factory. Peter’s article vividly portrayed… ...

Mike Hosking is an opinionated chap. He’s paid an enormous sum of money to be opinionated, not only as a breakfast talk-back host on the ZB network, but as a Herald columnist and the co-host of TVNZ’s Seven Sharp.… ...

Now that the Maui Ministerial has failed to reach a conclusion, we believe it is time to ensure our Prime Minister and Trade Minister know that kiwis do not want this deal. Send them a letter below! TPPA?… ...

In September last year, David Parker laid a complaint with the Police about a supposed “hack” of the Labour Party website by Whaleoil blogger Cameron Slater. On Friday, Police released a letter explaining that their investigation was over, and they… ...

Via RNZ: Another TPP meeting, another failure to reach agreement. Yet the words used to describe the negotiations did not, once again, talk of defeat. Instead, the joint statement by the TPP Ministers said: “We have made significant progress and… ...

. . Continued from: The slow dismantling of a populist prime minister Amidst the latest scandal swirling around this increasingly desperate National government, the chaos at Serco-run Mt Eden prison is just the latest in a long line of ministerial… ...

The Debunking Handbook is now available in Indonesian. Many thanks to Herendraswari Kusumawardani who did this 10th(!) translation of the handbook. Note to other translators:If you'd like to translate the Debunking Handbook into another language, please contact us (select "Enquiry about… ...

Speech – New Zealand First Party This is Maori Language Week and there is a Maori proverb that should be at the front of every politicians mind.2 AUGUST 2015 New Zealand First Leader and Member of Parliament for Northland Rt… ...

Press Release – TPPA Auckland Call to Action Group The stalling of yesterdays TPPA negotiations in Maui provide light relief for the citizens of New Zealand, but we cannot be complacent in thinking that our Government will not continue on… ...

Police Commissioner Mike Bush on Friday announced that tasers will be deployed for the use of all front-line officers. The reasoning behind tasers emphasises the taser’s potential for de-escalation — a “less-than-lethal” alternative to shooting someone — sometimes on the… ...

Press Release – TVNZ CORIN Mr Groser, can you give us a sense of how disappointing this is that you didnt reach an agreement this week?Q + AEpisode 23TIM GROSER Interviewed by CORIN DANN CORIN Mr Groser, can you… ...

Press Release – New Zealand First Party The TPPA was a botch-up from the start, says New Zealand First Leader and Member of Parliament for Northland Rt Hon Winston Peters.TPPA a botch-up from the start The TPPA was a botch-up… ...

An 18 month old Palestinian toddler is burned to death. The parents of Ali Saad Dawabsheh and 4 yr old brother are in critical conditions with burns up fo 70 % of their bodies. Are we horrified? Well most of… ...

Greece is facing a depression on a scale arguably comparable to the US Great Depression of the late 1920s. Huge unemployment rates and a dramatic drop in family incomes of over 40 percent have Greek citizens pondering what the impacts will be… ...

Image credit: Rachel Knowles – Successful blogging workshop Big problems with Sitemeter The problems with SiteMeter are still bad this month. No data could be obtained for about 50 blogs using SiteMeter. People have also reported strange results. So if… ...

The post-Maui Ministerial Press Conference is just wrapping up, where Ministers yet again were unable to conclude a deal. The Press Conference was heavy on platitudes but light on detail of actual progress, with Ministers trailing out the oft-repeated mantras around… ...

If New York can make most of Central Park car free, then why can’t we do the same with the Domain. That was my thought when watching this video from Streetfilms. Last week, people walking and biking on the Central… ...

Grim Faces And Patriotic Words: With a few, well-chosen, words, Key could place the 2017 General Election beyond the Opposition’s grasp. The Left has been clamouring for New Zealand’s negotiators to reject the TPPA in its current form. But… ...

. . On 14 December, 2010, there was great excitement and jubilation in the Beehive when then-Corrections Minister Judith Collins announced; “This Government is committed to a world-class Corrections system in New Zealand. To achieve that, we must have access… ...

. . On 14 December, 2010, there was great excitement and jubilation in the Beehive when then-Corrections Minister Judith Collins announced; “This Government is committed to a world-class Corrections system in New Zealand. To achieve that, we must have access… ...

Press Release – New Zealand Labour Party Failure to get the TPP agreement across the line gives New Zealanders an opportunity to put more pressure on the Government not to sign away our sovereignty, Opposition leader Andrew Little says.ANDREW LITTLE… ...

Press Release – Green Party The Government should come clean about what concessions it has already made and what issues have been left on the TPP negotiating table, the Green Party said today. 1 August 2015 Time for the Govt… ...

Press Release – New Zealand Government Trade Minister Tim Groser is disappointed that the TPP negotiations were unable to reach a conclusion today, but TPP ministers collectively pledged to meet again as soon as possible to finalise the deal.Hon Tim&hellip; ...

Press Release – AFTINET The failure of TPP Ministers to reach agreement in what was supposed to be the final round of negotiations vindicates the deep concerns of community groups that the TPP is secretly trading away issues like access… ...

Press Release – Professor Jane Kelsey The final ministerial meeting on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in Maui has failed. Not opting to stay another day shows the gridlock is serious and potentially intractable, according to University of Auckland law… ...

Press Release – Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch Todays fourth final TPP ministerial without a deal means the clock has run on possible U.S. congressional votes in 2015. No deal means the TPP is thrown into the political maelstrom of… ...

Press Release – The Nation Headlines: With sanctions being lifted on Iran, McCully says there are big opportunities for New Zealand businesses in Iran and some have been giving the market a lot of thought. the opportunities are significant… ...

Press Release – Doctors for Healthy Trade Once again the pharmaceutical industry is pumping out misleading information, suggesting that theres no need to worry about price hikes to New Zealand medicines under the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) says… ...

Global climate models aren’t given nearly enough credit for their accurate global temperature change projections. As the 2014 IPCC report showed, observed global surface temperature changes have been within the range of climate model simulations. Now a new study shows that the models… ...

by Redliners“Labor is prior to and independent of capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.”… ...

According to TV3, the police are being inundated with OIA requests:Police are struggling to cope with the overwhelming number of Official Information Act (OIA) requests which flood their offices every day, and some of their time-saving measures are now prompting… ...

Back in February, German news website Netzpolitik.org published stories based on leaked documents showing that the domestic intelligence agency BfV was seeking additional funding to increase online surveillance and monitor social media. The German government's response? Investigate them for treason:Germany… ...

A busy time in the House this week with a lot of questions on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. James Shaw asking John Key about the benefits to the ICT sector and the risks of investor-state dispute settlement and Andrew Little… ...

Vice Magazine has an article by Jordan Pearson covering the latest TPPA leaks and concluding that the agreement is a “horrorshow” based on the leaked content. The Vice article gives a great introduction to the perils of a completed TPPA, including… ...

Vice Magazine has an article by Jordan Pearson covering the latest TPPA leaks and concluding that the agreement is a “horrorshow” based on the leaked content. The Vice article gives a great introduction to the perils of a completed TPPA, including… ...

The new electric trains have by in large been a fantastic addition to Auckland. This is not to say that there haven’t been implementation issues however they are things that I expect Auckland Transport, Transdev, CAF and Kiwirail will iron… ...

The new electric trains have by in large been a fantastic addition to Auckland. This is not to say that there haven’t been implementation issues however they are things that I expect Auckland Transport, Transdev, CAF and Kiwirail will iron… ...

Share this:

Related

Failure to get the TPP agreement across the line gives New Zealanders an opportunity to put more pressure on the Government not to sign away our sovereignty, Opposition leader Andrew Little says.“New Zealand land, dairy and medicines are up for… ...

After failing to protect the right to stop foreign speculators buying our houses it’s clear the Government is not going to get wins on dairy in their TPP negotiations either, Labour’s Trade and Export spokesperson David Parker says. “Labour has… ...

Yesterday the Rich List showed the number of people who have over 50 million of wealth had increased by another 15 people since last year. Collectively this group are now worth 55 billion, an increase of over 7% since last… ...

Yesterday the Rich List showed the number of people who have over 50 million of wealth had increased by another 15 people since last year. Collectively this group are now worth 55 billion, an increase of over 7% since last… ...

Yesterday the Rich List showed the number of people who have over 50 million of wealth had increased by another 15 people since last year. Collectively this group are now worth 55 billion, an increase of over 7% since last… ...

Former Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has been thrown under the bus by her successor after its been suggested that Ms Bennett gave the green light to an ‘unethical’ observational study of high-risk children, Labour Children’s spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says.… ...

Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the Draft Transition Recovery Plan on behalf of the New Zealand Labour Party. It is important that the citizens of Canterbury have a voice in the governance of the next step of… ...

Yesterday the Government released the cabinet paper on progress on the work programme of the Ministerial Group on Family Violence and Sexual Violence. Along with the Human Rights Commissioner and Women’s Refuge, I really welcome the report. I’m relieved that… ...

Yesterday the Government released the cabinet paper on progress on the work programme of the Ministerial Group on Family Violence and Sexual Violence. Along with the Human Rights Commissioner and Women’s Refuge, I really welcome the report. I’m relieved that… ...

In 2010, National rammed the Electoral (Disqualification of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill through Parliament. Paul Quinn’s Member’s Bill existed because Paul Quinn thought anyone who’d been imprisoned was a serious offender, and serious offenders had ‘forfeited’ their right to vote.… ...

The Government has been given a serve by New Zealand-based international trucking and logistics firm Mainfreight which says it lacks a national transport strategy, and has treated rail badly, Labour's Transport spokesperson Phil Twyford says. The company has told shareholders it… ...

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions is embarking on a campaign to fight the changes that weaken the Health and Safety Reform bill. As part of the campaign the CTU has organised vigils with the display of 291 crosses… ...

Farmers must be given every assurance that all potential risks have been considered before Silver Fern Farms opens its door to foreign equity, Labour’s Primary Industries spokesperson Damien O’Connor says. “The ongoing saga involving the meat sector and amalgamation has… ...

Labour has moved to have the second flag referendum canned if the first attracts fewer than half the eligible number of voters, Opposition Leader Andrew Little says. “John Key has already wasted more than $8 million on his vanity project… ...

New figures obtained by Labour show the ACC Minister’s botched motor vehicle levy system has resulted in 90,000 vehicles having to be reclassified so far – at a cost of $6 million, Labour’s ACC spokesperson Sue Moroney says. “Nikki Kaye’s… ...

Chronic under-funding by National has seen the health budget slashed by $1.7 billion in just five years, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says. A report by Infometrics, commissioned by Labour, shows health funding has been cut in four of the… ...

The news that two Serco inmates have been arrested for helping to run a methamphetamine ring from prison should be the final straw and see their contract cancelled, says Labour’s Corrections Spokesperson Kelvin Davis. “National has stood by Serco despite… ...

A proposal being considered by the Government would see some people having to pay more for health care and district health boards forced to fight amongst themselves to fund regional health services, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says “Information leaked… ...

The trouble with the Charter school model is that it is a publicly funded experiment on children. The National Government has consistently put its desire to open charter schools ahead of the safety of the children in them, ignoring repeated… ...

News that an unnamed bank in Ashburton has put a receiver on notice over financially vulnerable farmers will send a chill through rural New Zealand, says Labour’s Finance Spokesperson Grant Robertson. “The Government needs to work with New Zealand’s banks… ...

John Key yesterday admitted what National dishonestly refused to confirm in Parliament last week – he is trading away New Zealand’s right to control who buys our homes and land, says Opposition leader Andrew Little. “The Prime Minister must now… ...

Plans by the Government to take a scalpel to democratically elected health boards are deceitful and underhand, coming just months after an election during which they were never signalled, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says “Leaked documents reveals a radical… ...

Corrections Spin Doctors sending their place holder lines to journalists instead of responding to serious allegations shows the scale of chaos at the department over the Serco scandal, says Labour’s Corrections Spokesperson Kelvin Davis. “As more and more serious allegations… ...

A High Court ruling that a law banning prisoners from voting is inconsistent with a properly functioning democracy should be a wake-up call for the Government, Labour’s Justice spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says. In an unprecedented ruling Justice Paul Heath has… ...

Congratulations are due to the Problem Gambling Foundation (PGFNZ) who have won their legal case around how the Ministry of Health decided to award their contracts for problem gambling services to another service provider. Congratulations are due not just for&hellip; ...

This week, the Environmental Protection Authority Amendment Bill passed its first reading in Parliament. The Bill puts protection of the environment into the core purpose of the Environmental Protection Authority. This month, Dr Allan Freeth, the former Chief Executive of… ...

The killing of a security guard on his first night on the job is exactly the kind of incident that National’s watered-down health and safety bill won’t prevent, says Te Atatu MP Phil Twyford. The coronial inquest into 22-year-old Charanpreet… ...

Increasing numbers of single parents are being penalised under a regime that is overly focussed on sanctions rather than getting more people into work, Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni says. “Figures, obtained through Parliamentary questions show 3000 more sanctions,… ...

Hekia Parata’s decision to keep troubled Whangaruru Charter school open despite being presented with a catalogue of failure defies belief, goes against official advice and breaks a Government promise to close these schools if they were failing, says Labour’s Education… ...

Yesterday I attended the launch of a new initiative developed by and for Asian, Middle eastern and African youth to support young people to name and get support if there is domestic violence at home. The impact on children of… ...

The Government’s handling of the Problem Gambling Foundation’s axing in a cost-cutting exercise has been ham-fisted and harmful to some of the most vulnerable people in society, Associate Health Labour spokesperson David Clark says.“Today’s court ruling overturning the axing of… ...

The Labour Party will not support the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement unless key protections for New Zealanders are met, Opposition leader Andrew Little says.“Labour supports free trade. However, we will not support a TPP agreement that undermines New Zealand’s sovereignty. ...

Resident doctors have advised that a severe staffing shortage at North Shore Hospital is putting patients’ lives at risk, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says. “They say a mismatch between staffing levels and patient workloads at North Shore has… ...

Six months’ paid parental leave is back on the agenda and a step closer to reality for Kiwi parents after Labour’s new Member’s Bill was pulled from today’s ballot, the Bill’s sponsor and Labour MP Sue Moroney says. “My Bill… ...

New requirements for sole parents to undertake a reapplication process after a year is likely to mean a large number will face benefit cancellations, but not because they have obtained work, Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni says. “Increasing numbers… ...

Last week the government’s major initiative to combat child poverty (a paltry $25 increase) was exposed for what it is, a lie. The Government, through the Budget this year, claims to be engaging in the child poverty debate, but instead,… ...

The Reserve Bank's decision to cut the Official Cash Rate to 3 per cent shows there is no encore for the so-called 'rock star' economy, says Labour's Finance Spokesperson Grant Robertson. "Today's interest rate cut comes off the back… ...

In my short 33 years on this planet we’ve seen phenomenal technological, economic and social change, and it’s realistic to expect the next 33 will see even more, even faster change. You can see it in the non-descript warehouse near… ...

A Bill that puts the environment squarely into legislation governing the Environmental Protection Authority passed its first reading today, says Meka Whaitiri. “I introduced this member’s bill as the current law doesn’t actually make protecting the environment a goal of… ...

KiwiSaver statistics released today expose John Key's claim that the cutting of the kickstart payment "will not make a blind bit of difference to the number of people who join KiwiSaver” to be duplicitous, says Labour Finance Spokesperson Grant Robertson. “Official… ...

All New Zealanders should be treated fairly at work. Currently, the law allows non-employment relationships to be used to get around the minimum wage. This is unfair, says Labour MP David Parker. “The Minimum Wage (Contractor Remuneration) Amendment Bill, a… ...

The Government’s rubber-stamping of every one of the nearly 400 applications from overseas investors to buy New Zealand farm land over the last three years proves tougher laws are needed, Labour MP Phil Goff says. “In the last term of… ...

John Key must ditch the flag referendum before any more taxpayer money is wasted, Opposition Leader Andrew Little says. “Millions of dollars could be saved if the Prime Minister called a halt to this hugely expensive, and highly unpopular, vanity… ...

Government members have prevented Parliament’s Law and Order select committee from getting answers out of a senior Serco director about the fight clubs being run at Mt Eden prisons, says Labour’s Corrections Spokesperson Kelvin Davis. “At today’s Law and Order… ...

Share this:

Related

The stalling of yesterday’s TPPA negotiations in Maui provide light relief for the citizens of New Zealand, but we cannot be complacent in thinking that our Government will not continue on signing our country up to a deal that may… ...

Everyone who has opposed the introduction of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) into their districts needs to be alarmed at the way central Government is moving to over-ride local council regulations about this matter, says Kelvin Davis, Labour ...

‘The “final” ministerial meeting on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in Maui has failed. Not opting to stay another day shows the gridlock is serious and potentially intractable’, according to University of Auckland law professor ...

Retailers will be pleased by news reports that Revenue Minister Todd McClay is taking a paper to Cabinet this month that will allow New Zealand retailers to compete on a fair basis with foreign websites by substantially reducing the threshold… ...

Lisa Owen: Now, changing tack now. Nancy Gibbs is the first woman to lead the iconic Time magazine. What's more, she's leading it into the digital age with her appointment in 2013, heralding a shake-up in the magazine's online offerings.… ...

Headlines: With sanctions being lifted on Iran, McCully says there are big opportunities for New Zealand businesses in Iran and some have been giving the market a lot of thought. “…the opportunities are significant in the short-term and even bigger… ...

Foreign Minister Murray McCully talks to Tova O’Brien in New York about what opportunities the Iran deal creates for New Zealand, whether the families of the MH17 victims will ever get justice, and he has stern words for the world’s… ...

The Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand (the Guild) is keen to learn more about how the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) will impact New Zealand’s health sector if it is accepted by the Government. ...

Secrecy of TPPA documents heads to court A legal challenge to the secrecy of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations will be launched in the High Court next week. An urgent application for judicial review will challenge Trade Minister ...

Navy Ships Arriving Home After Long Deployments The frigate HMNZS TE KAHA and tanker HMNZS ENDEAVOUR will arrive at the Devonport Naval Base in Auckland at 10am this Sunday 2 August, after long overseas deployments. Over 1100 family and friends… ...

Social Service Providers Aotearoa (SSPA) is concerned about the potential for a proposed study on new born children to go awry unless the paramountcy principle of commitment to the Care and Protection of Children is upheld. This commitment means that… ...

Responding to the report that Auckland’s Councillors and Mayor Len Brown look set for a 2.3 per cent pay increase, just days after voting to increase the average rates burden by 9.9 per cent, Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Carmel Claridge, says: ...

Responding to the report that Auckland’s Councillors and Mayor Len Brown look set for a 2.3 per cent pay increase, just days after voting to increase the average rates burden by 9.9 per cent, Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Carmel Claridge, says: ...

Responding to the report that Auckland’s Councillors and Mayor Len Brown look set for a 2.3 per cent pay increase, just days after voting to increase the average rates burden by 9.9 per cent, Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Carmel Claridge, says: ...

After 3 years of legal battle the government has now agreed to make full offers to commercial and vacant land owners whose properties were illegally red-zoned. However it decided to single out self-insured homeowners and offers nothing for their homes. ...

Strong response to Draft Transition Recovery Plan The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) has started analysing more than 2500 written comments received on the transition of recovery arrangements in greater Christchurch. The Recovery Plan ...

Heard you were able to get back to your dad’s turangawaewae last week. Mean … hope you had a good catch up with the whanau. I also hear you’re getting ready to endorse the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), and I’m… ...

The family of Lecretia Seales has decided not to appeal the High Court decision in the case of Seales v. Attorney General released to the public by Justice Collins last month on June 5th. Ms Seales passed away several hours… ...

Auckland’s only centre-right Mayoral candidate Stephen Berry says in light of massive rates increases it is inappropriate for the Mayor or any Councillors to be accepting a pay increase. “I propose that until such time as the Council passes a… ...

Predictive risk model in the prevention of child abuse – UNICEF NZ urges caution Research and testing of a predictive risk model to assist in identifying and responding to children at risk of child abuse is important work but must… ...

"Dow AgroSciences, Fonterra and Methanex are three named sponsors of Taranaki Regional Council's Environmental Awards. Their sponsorships makes a total mockery of these awards. This is akin to a weapons manufacturer sponsoring a peace scholarship" ...

Wikileaks has just posted a ‘guidance’ document for TPPA ministers on SOE-related issues ( https://wikileaks.org/tpp-soe-minister/ ). Although dated December 2013, Professor Jane Kelsey, a law professor from the University of Auckland who has monitored ...

With the reference to the latest “Trafficking in Persons” or TIP Report Released this Tuesday by the US Government, ECPAT Child ALERT Trust raises concerns that even though New Zealand may be in the Tier 1 category the report clearly… ...

An Independent Police Conduct Authority report released today has found that Police unlawfully detained two women and three young children following an armed response which developed from the attempted arrest of a male in Mangere on the evening of ...

The National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges welcomes the announcement of the government family and sexual violence work programme. “I am excited to see this commitment to action from the government and look forward to working alongside ...

At the conclusion of a public request for proposals and selection process, the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives has appointed Oratia Media to publish the fourth edition of the authoritative guide to the conduct of our… ...

At the conclusion of a public request for proposals and selection process, the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives has appointed Oratia Media to publish the fourth edition of the authoritative guide to the conduct of our… ...

‘The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) has given up another secret – unprecedented new restrictions on state-owned enterprises (SOEs)’, says University of Auckland law professor Jane Kelsey who has monitored the SOE negotiations intensively. ...

‘The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) has given up another secret – unprecedented new restrictions on state-owned enterprises (SOEs)’, says University of Auckland law professor Jane Kelsey who has monitored the SOE negotiations intensively. ...

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll. Source: Professor Jane Kelsey. Professor Jane Kelsey. ‘The “final” ministerial meeting on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in Maui… ...

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll. Statement of Lori Wallach, Director, Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch – Yet Another ‘Final’ TPP Ministerial and Again No Deal; Not… ...

Michael Woodhouse. Image courtesy of TheStandard.org.nz. Analysis by Keith Rankin. This article was also published on TheDailyBlog.co.nz. On Q+A (TVNZ) on 12 July, Michael Woodhouse, Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety discussed ‘Zero-Hour’ labour contracts as a subset… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.com MGSM Release: Sydney and Melbourne property prices have grown at more than 15 per cent per annum over the last three years, outperforming any other Australian markets and creating a bubble, says Nobel Prize winning economist Professor… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comNew Zealanders love their holidays and according to recent data released by Statistics NZ, last month alone 198,800 kiwis took a vacation. For the year ending June 2015, over 2.3 million New Zealanders left New Zealand to… ...

Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Dr Bryce Edwards. Should we celebrate the super rich in New Zealand or see their growing wealth as a cause of inequality and division? The publication of the NBR’s latest annual Rich List… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 7 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Friday 31st July.NEWSROOM_MONITORTop stories in the current news cycle include the progress of the controversial controversial Health and Safety Reform Bill… ...

Source: Professor Jane Kelsey. Professor Jane Kelsey. A legal challenge to the secrecy of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations will be launched in the High Court next week.An urgent application for judicial review will challenge Trade… ...

Source:Smokefreerockquest – Nelson Media Agency – Press Release/Statement: Headline: SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST 2015 NATIONAL FINALISTS ANNOUNCEDThe top nine Smokefreerockquest national finalists were announced today, the crème of the 700 bands and solo/duos who entered the nationwide youth music contest this year.Contenders… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comContributed by Amanda CarringtonWellington celebrated a milestone last weekend, reaching 150 years as New Zealand’s capital. Thousands of Wellingtonians were enticed to explore the many churches, universities, museums and government buildings the city has to offer. But… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comThe speech text below was used by Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully used to open the Open Debate: Peace and security challenges facing Small Island Developing States, at the UN Security Council, July 30, 2015 (New York… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 6 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Thursday 30th July.NEWSROOM_MONITORTop stories in the current news cycle include information showing that Social Development Minister Anne Tolley has confined anew… ...

Analysis by Keith Rankin. This article was also published on Scoop.co.nz.On Morning Report on Friday (24 July), I heard the following exchange between Guyon Espiner and Finance Minister, Bill English.Guyon Espiner: “So what’s the good bit about allowing… ...

Source: Scope Media – PERRIAM. Merino sheep being mustered on Bendigo Station overlooking, Lake Dunstan. Luxury merino fashion brand PERRIAM has been selected for a special showcase on wool in fashion at the prestigious New Zealand Fashion Week… ...

…he can do anything he wants….his suit is 100% NASA-engineered teflon & stuff… …so it’s been such an amazing run that el presidente recently decided on a make over and costuming – because he can…because he can do what… ...

Political roundup by Dr Bryce Edwards Dr Bryce Edwards. $100,000 a year to imprison a person is a lot of money. That’s the striking figure at the centre of the current prison scandal and debate, in a country… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 5 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Wednesday 29th July.NEWSROOM_MONITORTop stories in the current news cycle include the possibility of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade talks coming… ...

Investigation by Carolyn Skelton.Negative side effects of isotretinoinIn my research of the acne last resort drug, isotretinoin, I came across a couple of issues related to the impact of Big Pharma, Pharmac, and potential impacts of the TPP.… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 5 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Tuesday 28th July.NEWSROOM_MONITOR Top stories in the current news cycle include more leaked documents that show the funding of District Health Boards… ...

Analysis by Keith Rankin – This article was also published on Scoop.co.nz.In response to my Money, Flow and Debt (Daily Blog and Evening Report, 25 July 2015) one reader responded to my comments about money hoarding and compensatory debt&hellip; ...

Source: Hot Topic – By Gareth Renowden – Analysis published with permission of Hot-Topic.co.nz Headline: A tale of two hemispheres At the end of June, Professor Jim Renwick of Victoria University gave his inaugural lecture. As you might expect of… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 9 links for the day from Monday 27th July.Top stories in the current news cycle include concerns over a leaked document that reportedly shows the Government plans an overhaul to the governance of… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 9 links for the day from Monday 27th July.Top stories in the current news cycle include concerns over a leaked document that reportedly shows the Government plans an overhaul to the governance of… ...

Source: Asia Pacific Lawyers Network.“Evidence is mounting of increasing numbers of internet romantics and international travellers risking their lives after being deceived, coerced and ultimately exploited by sophisticated international drug cartels,” New Zealand death penalty defence… ...

…exactly when am i a journalist? …the hager case has raised some big issues…is it time to professionalise journalism? …personally i think the hand-writing a tag or a name sticker that says “reporter” is the standard we should… ...

Eyes of Fire (fifth edition) launched Friday July 10, 2015. Opinion piece by Professor David Robie of AUT’s School of Communication Studies – David travelled on board the Rainbow Warrior for 10 weeks before the bombing and wrote the book&hellip; ...

Analysis by Keith Rankin – This article was also published on TheDailyBlog.co.nz.To sort out our intransigent economic problems, ordinary people need to understand how things actually work today and how things do not work. The peasants need to challenge… ...

Report by Alistar Kata – Pacific Media Centre/Pacific Media Watch.AUCKLAND (Pacific Media Watch): Most audiences are used to seeing Wairere Tame Iti as the Māori activist, who most notably shot the Australian flag at a 2005 Waitangi Tribunal… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 8 media release snippets and 4 links for the day of Friday 24th July.Top stories in the current news cycle include more concerns about effects of the Government’s tougher welfare policy and the… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.com – Contributed by Olexander BarnesWellington is the city where the vampire film “What we do in the Shadows” takes place, but there are more dangers on our streets than just vampires. Living Streets Aotearoa and the Urban Design… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comIt may be a fact of the news cycle that Thursday night’s release of research focused on asthma health literacy for Māori children in New Zealand – He Māramatanga Huangō – wasn’t destined to make the 6pm bulletin.… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comContributed by Amanda CarringtonNew research from a Victoria University professor shows a longer parole period will decrease the risk of prisoners reoffending. Psychology professor Devon Polaschek’s work Surviving the first year explores how prisoners who are… ...

Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup – The Housing apartheid problem Dr Bryce Edwards. There’s a social divide opening up in New Zealand cities, especially Auckland, over home ownership. But is the division about race or wealth? And what can… ...

Containing the impacts in NZ: Acne and isotretinoin IIIInvestigation by Carolyn Skelton.In my previous pieces I addressed problems with acne and a last resort anti-acne drug (isotretinoin); a drug which has tended towards being overused and under-regulated. Many… ...

Source: Royal New Zealand Ballet A magical world premiere from the RNZB – The Vodafone Season of A Midsummer Night’s DreamIn an unprecedented artistic coup the Royal New Zealand Ballet has commissioned one of the world’s most sought after choreographers… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 8 media release snippets and 5 links for the day of Thursday 23rd July.Top stories in the current news cycle include a report from ACClaim Otago, a support group for injured people that… ...

Report by NewsroomPlus.comContributed by Olexander BarnesDebates on issues like euthanasia deserve the widest possible audience. It was fitting then that the lecture hall in the Otago campus next to Wellington hospital was packed full of people, all eager to… ...

Source: Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand New Civil Aviation Rules for unmanned aircraft coming into force next week will improve aviation safety for operators, other airspace users and people and property. Civil Aviation Rule Part 102… ...

Source:Reserve Bank of New Zealand Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler announced this morning that the Reserve Bank has reduced the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 25 basis points to 3.0 percent.Graeme Wheeler said the global economic growth remains moderate,… ...

Peter Godfrey and Selwyn Manning. Selwyn Manning and Australian radio station FiveAA’s Peter Godfrey deliver their weekly bulletin, Across The Ditch. This week New Zealand’s Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Inga under pressure to resign after scandalous and tragic… ...

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest contains 8 media release snippets and 4 links for the day of Tuesday 22nd July.Top stories in the current news cycle include Parliament unanimously passing legislation to fix a legal loophole that would have… ...

From The Virtual Desk of Ant Timpson. It all started with a synopsis and a poster submitted to a film competition. From 500 submissions, one winner emerged victorious. The filmmaker’s name was Jason Lei Howden and his winning idea was… ...